Azerbaijan targets to take innovative steps in field of nanotechnologies

By AzerNews

Following innovations in nanotechnology sectors is not enough for Azerbaijan and the country should itself author novelties in this sphere, President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) Akif Alizade has said.

Alizade was speaking at the Young Scientists' first International Baku Forum, titled New Challenges in the European Area, on May 21. The event was co-organized by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports and Azerbaijan Young Scientists, Postgraduate and Masters Union (AYSPMU) in close cooperation with Eurodoc, a European organization of national associations of young researchers.

Alizade said Azerbaijani scientists should expand their cooperation with European scholars and ANAS is ready to support them in this regard.

A wonder of the 21st century, nanotechnologies, or engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale, can be applied in a wide range of sciences, including ecology, medicine, space, cybernetics, the industry, and the oil sector, which is of great importance for resource-rich Azerbaijan.

This advanced technology is implemented in such developed countries as the USA, Japan, Germany and Russia, playing an important role in enhanced oil recovery, cost reduction and control over complications in the process of oil production.

The application of nanotechnologies in the Azerbaijani oil industry began in 2004 and is attributed to Academician Azad Mirzajanzade.

The Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR's scientists and specialists are working on the development of nanotechnologies, testing and introduction of such technologies in laboratories and in production.

The company has developed the Nanoil program covering 2010-2015 which consists of four parts: Nanoproduction, Nanodrilling, Nanopetrochemistry, and Econanooil. Moreover, Nanotechnologies scientific-production center was established to develop new nanotechnologies.

Outcomes of joint researches carried out by employees of Baku State University and SOCAR indicate that technical and economic indicators of technological processes of the oil industry were drastically improved.

As a result of the application of a new system, the oil recovery at least doubled in wells with low productivity.

The work done in this area allowed SOCAR scientists to be certified by patents; they were also included in the nanoscience section of the UNESCO international encyclopedia and awarded with a gold medal.

Young Scientists Forum

The international forum, which started in ANAS on May 21 and will last until May 25, brings together 160 scholars from 32 European countries, as well as 190 scientists from Azerbaijan.

The Forum with plenary session and five parallel sessions aims to promote cooperation among young scientists and researchers from European countries, forge new relations and conduct exchange of scientific information, strengthen the existing young scientist networks within the European Research Area and facilitate the establishment of new international cooperation.

Addressing the forum, Hadi Rajabli, chairman of the Azerbaijani parliamentary commission on social policy, noted that Azerbaijan has always been in the focus of attention.

Executive Director of the Youth Fund under the Azerbaijani President, Farhad Hajiyev, informed the Forum participants about the organization's activity. He stressed that the Fund is always ready for international cooperation.

Executive Director of the Science Development Foundation Elchin Babayev said that not only scientific, but also intercultural dialog is needed to bring together young scientists.

Babayev said that in the globalized world, "the way to positive ambitions should be opened for youngsters".

"I want this forum to become regular in Baku. Permanent secretariat of the Forum may be created and the event could be held twice a year," he said.

The Forum focuses on young European scientists' experimental works -- relevant methods and results, while parallel sessions cover issues of economy and sociology, technical sciences, medicine, biology and chemistry, environment and agriculture, as well as history, philosophy, and culture.